New Director of Institute for Biogenesis Research at UH Manoa medical school

Jerris Hedges, M.D., Dean of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa‘s John A. Burns School of Medicine, has announced the appointment of W. Steven Ward, Ph.D., as Director of the Institute for Biogenesis Research (IBR).

The IBR was founded by Dr. Ryuzo Yanagimachi, who remains a professor emeritus. Dr. Yanagimachi, the first scientist to clone a mouse, recruited Dr. Ward to the lab in 2000.

Dr. Ward has served as IBR Interim Director since October 2004. During Dr. Ward‘s tenure, four junior faculty members were promoted to tenure-track positions, more than doubling the number of permanent IBR scientists. Last September, Dr. Ward received a $10 million grant to develop the IBRinto a world-renowned institute in reproductive biology.

"I look forward to using the IBR's scientific and technical expertise to develop more patient-related reproductive biology research," said Dr. Ward. "We are fortunate to be able to collaborate with the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women‘s Health at the medical school."

Dean Hedges said the medical school is pleased to recognize the important contributions Dr. Ward has made to the IBR. "We are proud Dr. Ward has chosen to succeed Dr. Yanagimachi and dedicate his career to the medical school and the people of Hawaiʻi," said Dr. Hedges.

Dr. Ward received his doctorate from Vanderbilt University in 1985, completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University, and was Director of Urologic Research at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School from 1990-2000.